Death is the last enemy: once we've got past that I think everything will be alright. - Alice Thomas Ellis

I barely remembered what happened over the next…how long was it? It felt like hours, and in all honesty it probably was. Anyway, after I got Apple Bloom to the hospital, I had run off temporarily, told the first one of the girls I found (Rarity, for those who are curious) what happened, and asked them to spread the word to the others. I then sat in the hospital, mentally berating myself.

Why did I agree to have Apple Bloom take me to Zecora? If somepony a little stronger had come, like Rainbow Dash, then they’d have been able to defend themselves for those few seconds! I would later look back and realize it was technically Twilight’s fault for choosing to send Apple Bloom with me, but at the moment, that wasn’t on my mind.

Right now, all I could do was pray to Celestia that Apple Bloom survived. But after not hearing her breathing, in addition to how it looked like half of her blood was gone and most of her bones were broken, even I was beginning to have doubts. I managed to keep my feelings bottled up, though. I was used to loss.

I barely even noticed when the girls came in. Rainbow Dash was first, unsurprisingly. The second she came in, she flew up into my face and started yelling at me. I didn’t even hear what she said. I was in too much of a daze to hear much of anything. I do know that after what seemed like forever, Twilight wrenched her away with magic.

The girls stood in front of me in a semi-circle. Twilight looked worried, both for me and Apple Bloom. Rainbow looked ready to strangle me to death at the slightest provocation. Rarity was staring down at the floor, trying hard not to cry. Fluttershy wasn’t even trying to hold in her tears. Pinkie Pie’s mane and tail had gone flat, and she looked like she had zoned out. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had come along with them, and they looked on the verge of crying. I nearly cried myself when I saw that; I may be immune to fake tears, but real ones are a whole different matter.

Applejack…I don’t even want to remember her emotions. I’ll leave that up to your imagination, because writing it down would mean having to imagine it all over again, and right now that’s in my top five list of things I don’t want.

“Rylan?” I was pulled out of my daze by Twilight. “What happened?”

“Wolves,” I said simply, my voice catching in my throat. “Wolves made out of wood…they pounced her.”

“Timberwolves,” Twilight sighed. However, I noticed it was a sigh of sadness, unlike the sigh of annoyance I was used to receiving. “What did you do?”

“When I saw what they were doing to her, I ran up and…” I glanced over at Fluttershy. “I’d prefer not to say exactly.”

“Why?”

Fluttershy was still looking down at the floor, so she couldn’t see me. I looked over at Twilight and drew my finger across my throat. She got the message and stepped back in surprise.

“Oh…”

“I should’ve been more careful,” I sighed, burying my face in my hands. “I should’ve been watching out for her better…”

“It’s not your fault,” Twilight tried to assure me. Rainbow cut her off.

“It kind of is!”

“Rainbow!” Rarity glared at the cyan pegasus, quickly shutting her up. “Rylan, dear, Twilight’s right. It isn’t your fault…”

“I’m supposed to be a hero!” I cried. “I’m supposed to protect others! Why couldn’t I help her?!”

“Rylan…”

“Twilight, no. You’re just going to say it wasn’t my fault, but it was. If I can’t even save a little filly, how the hell am I supposed to save an entire world?” I shook my head sadly. “I’m not a hero. I’m a failure. Tell Princess Celestia to send me back to my world and get someone good. If I stay, I’m just gonna end up causing more ponies to die.”

“Rylan, we don’t know if she’s going to die or not. The doctors are doing everything they can. There’s still a chance she’ll make it through.” Twilight had a hopeful smile on her face, but I could tell it was fake. I wasn’t assured in the least.

I turned to Applejack, who wasn’t even looking at me. I could understand why. Her sister was in the hospital and likely dead, and she had nobody to blame but me. It’s a natural instinct to blame things like this on someone, and I’m used to me being their scapegoat. I could tell that, as much as they said otherwise, all of the girls still thought it was my fault, at least slightly.

“AJ?” I tried to get her attention. She didn’t move even slightly. “Applejack?”

“Just leave her alone,” Rainbow groaned. “I can see why she hates you.”

It literally took all of my resistance to not turn and deck that cocky mare in the face. Even then, my right arm was clearly vibrating somewhat, and the girls could tell what I was thinking right then.

“Be quiet, Rainbow.” It took me a second to realize it was Applejack speaking. Her voice lacked emotion, and even her country accent seemed to disappear slightly. “I don’t hate him. It wasn’t his fault.”

“Then whose was it?”

“Rainbow, it’s possible for things to not be anypony’s fault,” Twilight chided her. “This was something that just…happened.”

“It was my fault,” I said again. “I’m not a hero. Heroes don’t let innocents die.”

We sat in silence for a long time.

After some long amount of time (I didn’t bother checking my watch), a nurse pony came over to us. I instantly looked up.

“How is she?!” I asked right away. The nurse didn’t even look surprised.

“She’s asleep right now. We’ve done all we could to relieve the pain-”

“Don’t care about that!” I shut her up. “Is she gonna live?!”

The nurse looked down at the ground, crestfallen. My heart sunk and nearly stopped beating. “…I’m sorry. We did all we could.”

I heard the two fillies start crying, but my brain barely registered it. All my brain could focus on was what the nurse had said. I knew it…I was hoping it wouldn’t happen…

“We’re still doing what we can, but the chance is so slim the doctors are already saying it isn’t worth it,” she continued. “I’m sorry, all of you…”

I failed…I couldn’t do anything…she’s just going to die, and I can’t do anything to help her…

Wait.

I snapped my head up, not even aware it had lowered. “Let me see her.”

The nurse looked startled. “Um…I don’t know if that-”

I stood up, trying to look intimidating, but not so much I’d look like I was about to kill her. “Look, I don’t like pulling rank, but I’m not afraid to do it if I really have to! Therefore, as a human, I order you to let me see her!”

The nurse looked at me in surprise, her jaw dropped. After a few seconds that seemed like hours, she sighed. “Very well, sir. Please come with me.” She turned and trotted off. I followed, but not before turning back to the others, who were looking at me with similarly shocked looks.

“Wait here. All of you.” I then continued after the nurse, who took me to the room Apple Bloom was in. She shooed out the doctors, all of whom gave me a strange look as they passed. I walked up to Apple Bloom, lying in her white hospital bed.

She was breathing again, but it was very weak. She had been bandaged in several places and was hooked up to a couple of machines. Having never been to a hospital, I couldn’t tell what they were for, but I just assumed they were keeping her alive for at least a little longer.

I turned back to the nurse. “I need you to leave the room. I don’t know if this will have any side effects.” She was obviously confused, but she nodded and left anyway, closing the door as she left. I turned back to Apple Bloom.

Focus… I placed my left hand on Apple Bloom’s forehead, focusing as much as I could. Transfer… I didn’t know exactly how to focus for something like this, so I just imagined Apple Bloom’s injuries vanishing. I imagined her returning to normal, fully healed.

Apparently, that was enough. I heard a slight humming noise, so I opened my eyes, having not realized until then I had closed them. Apple Bloom’s body was glowing a faint green colour.

The glowing seemed to start flowing to her forehead, where my hand was. I saw little green waves pass along her body, slowly but surely removing the cuts and bruises that were still visible. I heard her breathing grow stronger and her bones snap lightly as they fixed themselves. Finally, the glow stopped, and Apple Bloom seemed fully healed.

“Huh. That worked better than I tho-” I was cut off when the green waves suddenly shot up my arm, coursing all around my body. I screamed in pain as I felt my skin cut itself open, my bones snap, and my throat fill with blood. I collapsed to the ground as the green waves vanished, leaving me looking like I just came through a war zone. I tried to stand up, but one of my legs was broken (or both; I didn’t pay that much attention) and I just fell to the floor again.

I heard voices from outside, and I coughed twice, spewing a little blood on the floor before everything faded to black like the end of a crappy movie that ends on a cliffhanger.

“You’re pathetic, you know that?”

I stood in what looked like a cave, facing a strange-looking pony. He was an alicorn with a black coat darker than the night sky and a brown mane and tail that looked like they were combed neatly. This clashed greatly with the splashes of red all over him, resembling blood. His eyes were white and blank, but I could still feel him staring at me. His cutie mark looked like the moon from Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. I raised an eyebrow at this.

“…what the hell?” I asked, oh-so-intelligently.

“My name is True Force. I am a pony with far more power than you’d think. Even the princesses cannot hope to stand up to me.” True Force smirked as he revealed this information.

“You…you’re the thing I came here to destroy!” I realized. He laughed.

“Indeed I am! But apparently you don’t care about beating me if you’d easily give your life to save a little filly who isn’t important in any way.” True Force dropped his evil smirk for a glare and frown. “And I thought humans were smart. Some hero you are.”

I looked down. “I’m not a hero. But Princess Celestia…she’ll find a real hero. Someone who can actually take you down.”

“You wish.” True Force floated in the air without using his wings, crossing his front hooves behind his head as he leaned back. “You have no idea what I am capable of. I’m not free yet, but I can still interact with important figures through their dreams. I’ve been mocking Celestia herself for several nights now. And now that you’re here, I’ve got a new playmate! What fun!”

I glared at him. “You won’t find it very fun when someone smashes your face in!”

“But I’m afraid that won’t be happening anytime soon.” True Force summoned an apple and bit into it, speaking clearly despite the food in his mouth. “I’ve blocked all gateways to the human world. I did so just seconds after you arrived, in fact. Turns out I was a little late, but at least Celestia was only able to summon someone who wasn’t a hero, right?”

I gaped at this news. It could have been blatant lies, but knowing my luck, it was probably true. “You son of a-”

“Language, dear boy.” He waved his hoof and the apple he had taken only one bite of vanished, replaced by a strange diamond that glowed in the darkness. “It was the only way for me to ascertain my victory. Did you not realize you were the only human to arrive? Why would Celestia not summon, say, an army of humans?”

I realized he was right. I had never given that much thought, but he was right. Why would she only summon one human? Something had to have blocked her.

“Admittedly, an army of several humans I would not be able to stop. But a weak little human like you?” He crushed the diamond in his hooves. “Easy as one, two, three.”

“You won’t stop us,” I retorted confidently. “Even if I can’t help much, there’s still the Elements of Harmony, the princesses, and all of Equestria for that matter. You will be stopped, and then they can all finally be happy again.”

True Force seemed to roll his eyes, but due to his lack of pupils I couldn’t really tell. “Ooh, happiness. Woo hoo.” He summoned a balloon and waved it around mockingly. “Let’s celebrate.” He popped the balloon with his horn.

“Be cocky now, but I’ve played enough video games to know that bad guys never win.” I crossed my arms and grinned smugly.

“Have you ever played Chzo Mythos?” True Force asked nonchalantly. I blinked.

“Uh…no.”

“Well, if you had, you’d know that what you said is…wrong, to say the least.” He summoned a butterfly, which flew around the room for a little while. “Besides…video games aren’t real life. You don’t have superpowers, or amazing weapons, or anything like that. You’re just a failure. You’ll be easy to crush.” He then lowered himself to the ground, where the butterfly had landed. He brought his hoof down hard on it, squashing the creature.

I had no response. He was right about me being a failure, but I didn’t want to admit it. He was the villain, after all.

“No response? And I thought you were quick with your comebacks,” True Force taunted. He summoned a lightning cloud right above him. “You don’t have any retorts? How…shocking.” The cloud shot out a burst of lightning that enveloped him, but he didn’t even flinch. He shook it off and the cloud vanished.

“…I’m not a hero,” I said again. He looked like he was about to boast some more, but I cut him off. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll give up. I’m coming for you, True Force. I won’t let you win.”

“I’ll still win anyway.” True Force grinned and turned away. “I think I’ve kept you long enough. Let’s send you back to reality, shall we?”

Suddenly, I saw a flash of stars, temporarily blinding me. When the light cleared, all I saw was darkness, but I heard voices…

“…think it’s going to work.”

I tried to open my eyes, but I couldn’t. I could barely move. I felt a strange aura surrounding me. I tried to speak, but my mouth refused to open.

“He’s healing up fine, Twilight. Don’t worry.” I recognize that voice…wait a second, is that the princess?!

“I guess…I still can’t believe he was willing to do that.” That’s Twilight, I think…

“He is a hero, you know.” Oh how wrong you are, princess.

“Princess…Ah don’t mean to offend, but…do ya really believe that?” If the accent didn’t give it away, that was Applejack. She sounded a lot better than she did earlier that day…or week, or whatever. I didn’t know how long I had been out for.

There was a short silence, and for a second I felt the aura around me falter slightly. “…I’m not sure, Applejack. From what the six of you have told me about him, he doesn’t seem that…heroic, this event aside.” I heard Celestia sigh. “I thought that he would be a great warrior, just because he was a human…”

“One should not be judged by their looks.” That was Rarity. Is the whole group here or something?

“I suppose that is true.” I felt the aura dissipate. “There. He should be fine now.”

“Damn right.” I finally managed to move my mouth to speak, sitting up as I did so. I opened my eyes and saw the six mares looking at me in surprise. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the Cutie Mark Crusaders sitting in the corner of the room, and I silently rejoiced at the sight of Apple Bloom alive and well. Right in front of me was Princess Celestia. I could tell at a glance that I was in Twilight’s library, likely in a guest room or something.

“Good to know you are fine, Rylan,” Celestia nodded as though they hadn’t been talking about me.

“Been fine for the past several minutes. And I’m not deaf, you know.” I cast the group a small glare as I said that, and they all looked away sheepishly, except for the princess. “So you think I’m not your great hero? What a surprise.”

“Well, yes, but since you are our only option…” Celestia trailed off, seeing my look of anger. I hadn’t planned on getting this mad, especially considering even I didn’t think I was a hero, but I had just gotten pumped enough to beat that True Force dick into the dust…and then they go and outright state that I’m worthless!

“Oh, so I guess I’m just the opposite of what you wanted? Yeah?” My voice rose, growing to a shout.

“N-no, it’s just that…” For once, the princess was at a loss for words. I could hear desperation and panic creep into her voice. What, is she actually scared of a failure like me? What am I gonna do, bore her to death with random video game trivia?

“You know what?” I yelled, getting out of the bed. I grabbed my shield, which was on the bedside table next to me. “Screw this! You don’t need me, and I don’t need you!”

I threw the shield against the wall, half-hoping it would break in half. Obviously, it didn’t. I stormed out of the room, shoving past the girls.

“Rylan, wait!”

I didn’t wait. I kept walking, eventually running. I ran downstairs and outside, running as far away as I could.

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"Go away."

"We just want to help!"

"You can help by going away. You don't want to see this."

"We're not letting you."

"Too bad. It's happening, like it or not. Goodbye."

"No, wait! Please stop! NO! RYLAN, NO!"